Replacement for lost debit card DENIED by PayPal

[hydn]

I've been using the paypal debit card service on my PayPal account since May of 2009. We have two cards (my wife and I), sharing access to funds of my PayPal account which also connects to our Bank Of America account.

I've misplaced my card and after extensive searching for 2 days with no luck I've decided to do the standard thing of reporting the card lost and having a replacement sent.

I went to the PayPal website and clicked on the affected active card as being "lost" and then on the next page it asks for additional info to send out the replacement card. The info requested is my DOB and last four digits of social security #. (SSN being a new requirement as of November 2009, because of new government laws says Paypal supervisor)

We are international students and as such do not have social security #'s. Our account was already approved last year. I called PayPal and they will accept no other method of verification unlike other institutions... The DMV for example required that we simply go to the social security office and request a SSA-L676 letter stating the reason why we don't have SSN. The same was with Bank Of America for opening a new bank account.

My questions are:

1) A Paypal supervisor said that new government regulations as of November has forced them to now require SSN for debit cards. Is this true?

2) When I click on debit card on the paypal website it still says "verified".  Also, my wife's debit card still works. Therefore, why should I need a SSN?

3) Why wasn't these new requirements emailed or posted in the manage debit card area of the PayPal site?

4) Has anyone else had this issue? Why is it that PayPal cannot accept the government's SSA L676 (especially on a still-active account).

5) Am I out of luck on getting a replacement?

Any light that can be shed on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time

[robertswww]

I heard that PayPal starting requiring the last 4-digits of the SSN number last year. There is no need for PayPal to email out this info, as it only affects new debit card requests.

PayPal is very country oriented, so if you have a U.S. PayPal account, then they expect you to have a SSN, as it is required for all U.S. citizens.

It is up to PayPal what info they want to accept.  The SSN verification can be automated via computer, but a SSA L676 form would require more work. Maybe they will accept that form in the future, as they run into this situation more frequently.

From the sound of it, most likely you have just misplaced your Debit card in your home or car.  I would concentrate on finding it, and forget requesting a replacement.

If you do not find it, then at least you have your wife's card to use (do not lose it).

[hydn]

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